50+ must-know camping hacks that’ll make you look like a camping pro

Camping sounds idyllic in theory. Just you and your loved ones at one with nature. Nothing but the birds and the breeze to keep you company; a much-needed tech detox; and bonding experiences for the family like nothing else.

In reality, there are a few nitpicky things, from bad weather to simple poor organization, that can make your trip into the wilderness slightly more stressful. While you can’t change the weather, there are plenty of ways for you to be more organized and prepared for your days of countryside living.

Let’s get started!

1. Make your own outdoor washing machine

You don’t have to return home from a camping trip with armfuls of dirty laundry. Instead of dreading your upcoming washing duties, spend an hour or so doing things the old fashioned way while you’re on your trip. All you need is a bucket, some soap and a plunger. If the weather’s nice, you can lay your clothes over the top of your tent to dry.

2. Make travel coffee bags

We all know that person who takes their own tea bags on all their vacations – and honestly, why shouldn’t you do the same without coffee? If you look forward to your morning cuppa, fill a coffee filter with a single serving of coffee and tie it up with some string. Now that’s coffee to go!

3. Shoe organizer: utensil organizer

One annoying thing about camping is trying to find your small items, like your cooking utensils, amongst your bags and backpacks. A simple way to solve this issue is to bring a hanging shoe organizer, which you can hang from your tent and fill with all your essentials as soon as you arrive. Everything has its own compartment, so you’ll never lose your things again.

4. Buy these seat hammocks

Not many tips in this slideshow will involve actually buying a product, but if you’re camping with your car, you NEED these seat hammocks in your life. Who wouldn’t want to ditch the discomfort of a log around a fire when the alternative is hanging weightlessly in mid-air?

5. Make your own calamine lotion

Calamine lotion is one of those absolute camping essentials. It can be used to heal poisonous sores, and soothe itchy insect bites. If you don’t have any of the real stuff to hand, that’s totally fine – in the spirit of camping and simple living, you can make your own! You can find the recipe here.

6. Tic-Tac spice boxes

There’s no need to compromise your cooking on a camping trip. Instead of taking your entire spice rack with you (which wouldn’t be practical by any means), sprinkle your favorite spices into empty Tic-Tac boxes and you’ll have access to spices on demand. Just remember to label them so you don’t resort to guessing by smell.

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seattlesundries

7. Pre-make some activity bags

No matter how full of fun and adventure your camping trip may be, you’ll always need some downtime. Whether it’s raining heavily or you’re relaxing after a long hike, you can keep your kids’ brains stimulated with a few custom-made activity bags. Simply fill a Ziploc bag with Lego, card games and whatever they’re into and hand them out when you can sense an “I’m bored” is on its way.

Natural Parents Network
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Natural Parents Network

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8. Make a toilet paper holder

Toilet paper might just be the most in-demand personal essential of 2020, so we don’t blame you if you want to look after yours on your camping trip. To prevent it from getting squashed or damaged on your travels, repurpose an old coffee can and use it as a secure holder to keep the good stuff in tact.

9. Treat bug bites naturally

Don’t have any homemade calamine lotion? Don’t sweat it – literally. You’re bound to have some deodorant with you on your trip (or hopefully you do). You need roll-on deodorant for this job: just roll a little onto the skin of a bug bite and it’ll soothe it in no time. Spray-on deodorant is a big no-no, as it can irritate the skin if sprayed too close.

10. Modify your match tub

If you choose not to take a traditional little matchbox with you, you’ll need to modify your match tub to make sure you can still light your matches to make a fire. You just need something that will cause a lot of friction, like sandpaper. Stick it to your box to allow you to strike your matches wherever you are.

Craftaholics Anonymous
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Craftaholics Anonymous

11. DIY camping shower

If you’re someone who admittedly loves showering in the wilderness, you need this DIY camping shower in your life. No need to shower in a dingy shower block when you could truly embrace nature beneath a tree! Click here to find out how you make it.

12. Repel ticks naturally

Shop-bought tick repellent might do the job, but it doesn’t tend to smell great. Making your own is cheaper, healthier and just more appealing, especially as one of the main ingredients of this DIY recipe is tea tree oil. You and your campmates will smell great, and the ticks will stay away, too.

13. Set the mood (naturally)

If you’re planning on having a few camping “date nights beneath the stars”, you probably want to come prepared with the appropriate romantic supplies. But rather than clog up your backpack with heavy glass jar candles, you can make your own – out of a used orange peel. Find out how to do it here.

14. Study up on your poisonous plants

Is this a hack or an essential pre-camping task? We’d say the latter – knowing how to identify poisonous plants could literally save your life (or someone else’s!). This is especially important if you and your campmates enjoy foraging for edible berries and fruits when you’re out in the wilderness. Don’t trust your instincts unless you’ve read this guide or you’re genuinely a poisonous plant expert.

15. Just enough toothpaste

Camping is often accompanied by hiking, and if your bag is already weighed down with your tent and food supplies, even the smallest new addition can contribute to unwanted weight. Your toothpaste tube, for instance, is an unnecessary add-on. Instead of taking a whole tube’s worth of stuff, just squeeze what you need onto a paper plate, then let it dry and take the plate with you instead.

16. Make tin can bread

There’s nothing more portable than bread baked inside the can you’re carrying it in. You don’t need to be an expert to know how to bake bread inside a tin can, and there are loads of delicious recipes you can try out, too. For a yummy banana bread recipe, look here.

17. Phone disaster no more

If someone doesn’t either break or damage their phone in a camping trip, did you really go camping? Luckily, not all phones are destined for your bottom drawer of unused tech. If yours has suffered a bit of rain damage when the weather got the better of your hike, just submerge it in a tub of uncooked rice, pop the lid on, and leave it overnight. The rice grains should suck the water out of those hard-to-reach areas in your phone, hopefully restoring it to its former self.

18. Light up your night

Torches might be practical on a camping trip, but they’re not very cool, are they? If you want to keep the kids feeling safe and snug with a night light, this DIY paint lantern is guaranteed to be a hit. Just paint the inside of a mason jar with non-toxic glow-in-the-dark paint. Super easy and affordable to make.

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lyndsayandandrew

19. Keep your sleeping bag fluffy

This is technically an after-camping tip, but it’s still useful to know. Any avid camper will know that nothing beats the fluffiness of a new sleeping bag, but that several washes down the line, it can start to feel bobbly and scratchy. One tip that’s supposed to help you retain that fluffiness throughout your sleeping bag’s life is to add a few tennis balls into the dryer with it.

20. Make an instant lantern

If you didn’t come prepared with a DIY paint lantern on your trip, you can quickly put together a makeshift lantern using a head torch strapped to a gallon bottle of water. The light will spread around the whole bottle, giving you a nice glow to see with.

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bamboocorefitness

21. Unstick your zippers

Sleeping bag zipper caught? Or, even worse, trapped in a jacket you can’t unzip to take off? Candle wax is your new best friend. Just rub the wax along the zipper, and you should free up any snags. Note: this probably won’t work for serious zipper mishaps, like if you’ve managed to get an entire wodge of material stuck inside your zipper.

22. Sleep on foam floor tiles

Parents of young kids will probably have these foam floor tiles stashed away in a cupboard somewhere. They make a great soft surface for play – and also for sleep. Take your foam tiles out of storage and pack them in your car for your next camping trip. They’ll provide that extra bit of cushioning that’ll make all the difference if you’re sleeping on the floor.

23. Make bread tag clothes pegs

if you’ve already washed your clothes using the old-fashioned DIY washing method mentioned earlier on, now you need a fancy way to dry them. If you happen to have a washing line without pegs, simply use the tags that keep the plastic around your bread shut. They probably won’t hold the heavier stuff, but they work for simple items like t-shirts.

24. Use hand sanitizer as a fire starter

If you don’t have any hand sanitizer to spare in 2020, are you okay? We’re sure you can afford to give away a little extra when it comes to starting up your fire. Unsurprisingly, it makes for a great fire-starter, being made with alcohol. You’ll have your fire raging in no time.

25. Double-use your frisbees

While the main purpose for your frisbees might be to chuck them around (and nearly get beheaded by your children’s attempts), they can also be used as lightweight, easy-clean dinner plates. Just make sure you give them a good wash before putting any food on them, and be aware that some foods will stain the plastic of lighter-colored frisbees.

26. Make a selfie stick – with a real stick

If you can’t get a shot of your whole family, make a selfie stick for your phone or GoPro with a real stick. This is particularly easy if you have the gear to attach your phone or GoPro to the stick. Otherwise you might have to do some proper work with rope or twine. Just make sure your stick will stand the weight of your phone!

27. Newspaper shoe-drier

One of the most common camping complaints is wet feet. Whether you’re caught in a rainstorm, your expedition takes you through a spot of water, or you’re simply a serious foot sweater, you might end up with uncomfortably damp shoes at the end of the day. The quickest way to dry out your sneakers overnight is to stick some scrunched-up newspaper inside each of them. They should be dry and ready for use in the morning.

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accordingtoelle

28. Use an acorn as a whistle

Whether you want to keep track of your exploring campmates or you find yourself lost and alone, acorns make the best DIY whistles. Even if you don’t get lost, this is a pretty cool trick to learn, you have to admit. Here’s a full breakdown of how to whistle using an acorn cap.

29. No pillow? No problem

As luxurious as a pillow may feel when you’re faced with the concept of not having one, you can live without yours on your camping trip. Free up that extra space in your bag and sleep on your sleeping bag’s sack instead, stuffed with any clothing you don’t mind getting a bit rumpled.

30. Get yourself some microfiber towels

These towels are lightweight and thin, making them easy to store and carry with you on your travels. As an added bonus, they dry within an hour of use. You can buy them in a range of sizes, so you can use some for hand-drying, some for drying your whole body, and some for your damp dishes.

31. Keep hold of your silica gel packs

You can usually find silica gel packs in powdered foods, as well as products like shoes and handbags, to prevent moisture from seeping in. You probably just throw these away as soon as you discover them, but you can put them to good use on your camping trips. Store them in your cookware and they’ll help keep the water away from your gear, preventing rusting.

32. Duct tape your water bottle

Not for any particular reason, but because you tend to always need some duct tape for something or other when you’re camping. Keeping a bit of spare tape around your water bottle saves you taking a whole pointless roll. If you don’t use it in an emergency, you can always tape your brother’s mouth shut when he gets a bit rowdy after one too many beers.

33. Stash your socks in your sleeping bag

Losing socks is surprisingly easy, especially when you’re on a camping trip. If you know you’ll wake up the next morning bleary-eyed and completely unaware of where you stashed your socks, do the smart thing and pop them in the bottom of your sleeping bag. An added bonus is that you’ll have lovely warm socks to put on, which is always the sign of a good day ahead.

34. Prepare your sangria in advance

When the children are asleep and the night stretches ahead of you, you’ll be thankful that you whipped up this camping sangria recipe in advance. Drinking homemade fruity alcohol is one of the highlights of a camping trip, in our opinion. Just be be sure to know your limits if you plan to get up early the next day for a pre-sunrise hike.

35. Use a DIY backpack liner

If your backpack isn’t fancy enough to come with a fancy waterproof liner – or you have one, but you don’t trust it – use a heavy duty garbage bag instead. Simply pop the bag inside your backpack and then fill it as normal. That extra two minutes of packing work will provide you with plenty of peace of mind when bad weather hits.

36. Pack your eggs in a water bottle

Did you know that one water bottle can carry eight eggs? Crack them straight into the bottle instead of risking carrying a box of delicate eggshells in your bag. Plus, you won’t need to carry a bowl or whisk with you either! When you fancy eggs for breakfast, simply pour a little out into your frying pan and toss them with some veggies.

37. Insulate your sleeping bag

We’re not all blessed to schedule a camping trip for a heatwave. If the temperature drops at night while you’re in your tent, you can keep your feet warm and cosy by stuffing the bottom of your sleeping bag with clothes. The clothing will also soak up any cool dampness that starts to creep into your sleeping bag, helping you to stay as damp-free as possible.

38. Make simple homemade S’moreos

We apologize if if you’re hungry, but come on – S’moreos! Was there ever a more appealing invention? All you have to do is add melted chocolate and a toasted marshmallow to the inside of two Oreo biscuits. Looks deliciously messy.

FoodHybrids Wiki
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FoodHybrids Wiki

39. Keep your foods refrigerated

If you take a picnic out into the wilderness with you, keep your foods nice and cool with a couple of frozen water bottles. Not only will the frozen bottles prevent the contents of your picnic basket from spoiling, they’ll also provide you with a refreshing cool drink when the ice melts. It’s a win-win situation.

40. Dip your marshmallows in Baileys

Here’s an adult-friendly camping treat if you ever saw one: Baileys marshmallows. The concept couldn’t be easier – you simply toast your marshmallows, then dip them in a glass of Baileys and enjoy. The baileys will give your marshmallows a kick of alcoholic flavor, plus cool them down so you can eat them faster.

41. Cotton swab fire starters

Not all of us are experts at living in the wild, understandably, as we don’t get much experience in our day-to-day lives. If fire-starting isn’t one of your strong points, help yourself out and dip a couple of cotton swabs in wax. Wait for the wax to dry, then take the cotton swabs with you and use them when it’s time to get the fire going.

42. Turn a bottle into a spoon

Look, you never know when you might suddenly need a spoon. If, for whatever reason, you don’t have any spoons with you at the time, panic not! Simply cut a plastic bottle into a makeshift spoon, and you can still enjoy whatever liquidy foods have tempted you. Heads up: you’ll need some scissors to cut the bottle up.

43. Make your own toilet

There are some aspects of camping that many of us struggle to get to grips with. One of those is going to the toilet, without, well, the toilet. Don’t panic if you can’t bear the thought of squatting beneath a tree – you can actually make your own toilet out of a bucket and a crate. Still gross, but at least it doesn’t require balance. Find out what to do here.

44. Wrap your meat in cabbage

If you’re cooking meat straight on the hot coals, you know you have a fine line between “cooked” and “burnt” status. To give your meat the best chance of survival, wrap it in cabbage leaves before tossing it on the fire. This should stop it from becoming the literal definition of char-grilled.

45. Mark your trail (biodegradably)

Even the biggest hiking enthusiasts wouldn’t fancy getting completely lost in the woods, with no cell signal and no way of retracing their steps. Luckily, it’s easy enough to avoid falling into a real-life horror film starring yourself. Just mark your trail with brightly colored tape on trees and fence posts. You’re only a real nature lover if you use biodegradable tape, by the way.

46. Foam noodles will prevent injuries

We all have a clumsy family member who finds a way to bang themselves on every object that was to ever exist. A good way to prevent this person from smacking their head on your awning strut is to cut into a foam noodle and wedge it over the hard metal. This should at least prevent serious injury in the case of a head smack.

47. Sage to keep mosquitoes at bay

There’s nothing that ruins a camping trip quite like being bitten hundreds of times by mosquitoes in one evening. The best way to keep the pesky insects away, aside from the obvious (bug spray), is to burn some sage on your campfire. While you and your campmates will love the delicious smell wafting from the flames, those tiny mozzies won’t.

48. Vacuum seal your food before leaving

This is one of the best space saving hacks for anyone who needs to pack light but also loves food. Anything you can vacuum seal before you leave should be vacuum sealed. It won’t affect your food’s flavor, but it’ll give you plenty more room in your backpack. There are ways to vacuum seal your foods if you don’t have a vacuum sealer, by the way.

49. DIY portable lanterns

When the sun goes out, it’s not always likely that you’ll be tucked up in your sleeping bag. Whether you’re planning to stay up chatting into the early hours of the morning, or you can guarantee you’ll need to trek to the bathroom post-darkness, these DIY portable lanterns will come in handy. Find out how to make them here.

50. Pop your popcorn over the campfire

Many people don’t realize that popcorn can be popped over a campfire just like it can be on your stove at home. Just put your popcorn in a foil packet with a pat of butter, fold in half and seal the sides by folding them shut. Then attach the foil to a long stick and place it directly over your fire. The popcorn will start popping after just a few minutes.

51. Make a mini first aid kit

First aid kits tend to be quite big and bulky, and let’s face it, you won’t need to bring a whole pack of band-aids, two rolls of bandages and a million different creams and ointments unless something’s seriously gone wrong. Instead, reduce your first aid kit down to a portable size and store what you need in an old prescription bottle. Much easier to stash in your backpack.

52. Hang your toiletries from a lanyard

To save the fuss of carrying a wash bag to the shower block with you, attach your essentials to a lanyard and wear it around your neck. You have no chance of leaving anything behind by mistake, and it will free up a bit of extra room in your bags.

53. Re-use your belt as a utensil hanger

Hopefully you won’t need to wear a belt on any occasion on your camping trip, but it’s worth taking one along anyway. If you don’t want to pile your cookware on the floor, fasten your belt around a tree and use hooks to hang your pots and pans from it. It’ll help them to dry faster after you’ve washed them and stop them from picking up dirt from the floor.

54. Pack cleverly

You’ll be completely surprised at just how efficient your packing can be if you know the right tricks. You can roll a whole outfit together into something the size of a single sock – and then you can put it into a spare sock for good measure. Nothing will be creased because you’ve tightly rolled it, not folded it.

55. Set up a hand-washing station

The importance of hand-washing has been drilled into us over these past couple of months, so if you want to have some sort of hand-washing setup even while camping, we don’t blame you. You can use a laundry detergent dispenser to make your own hand-washing station. Fill it with water and place a bottle of soap within easy reach.

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nomealsonwheels

56. Doritos make great kindling

If you can’t find any dry twigs for kindling, Doritos are the next best thing. If you can bear to give them up, that is. It’s a good idea to pack a bag full of Doritos, as they’re lightweight and perfect for a quick dinner of cheesy nachos when your campmates are complaining about feeling hungry.

57. Make single-use soap

Taking a whole bar of soap with you on a camping trip is a bit pointless. Not only will it add unnecessary weight to your backpack, it’ll also accumulate dirt if it’s left out between uses. A smarter idea is to use a vegetable peeler to make your own single-use soap pieces, which you can hand out at hand-washing time. Simple but genius.

Beth Anne Creates
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Beth Anne Creates

58. Protect your tent lines

Here’s another hack for the admittedly clumsy: protect your tent lines with foam noodles and you’re less likely to trip over them in the low light. Nearly all of us who’ve been camping have been caught off guard by a tent line, but with a neon colored foam noodle at the end of each line, not anymore!

59. Make candle stakes

One more romantic camping idea from us: candle stakes. Simply poke your candlesticks into craft dowels and stick them into the grass around your tent (not too close, obviously). In a romantic sense, you’ll have restaurant-quality candlelight on your camping date night. In a practical sense, the dancing flames will ward off unwanted animal intruders.

A Subtle Revelry
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A Subtle Revelry

60. Waterproof your shoes

Who knew that there was such a simple way to waterproof your shoes? All you need is some beeswax compound. Rub it on your shoes, and it’ll ensure the material doesn’t let any water through if the weather takes a turn for the worse. Goodbye, stinky waterlogged feet.

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